If you are in Buenos Aires for a short stay, there are few places you will have to know. I listed below what is (for us) the “must be seen” of Buenos Aires:

• The Buenos Aires Yellow bus is a good option for a first ride in the city and to get a first impression of each of its different districts. The Bus is a double-decker bus with an opened roof (nice in summer). It has audio headsets in several language. You can take the bus at the Tourist information point (on Florida Street & Roque Saenz Peña Avenue) very close from Plaza de Mayo (it is the “Stop 0”). There are 25 stops in total and the whole tour lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes. More info here: www.buenosairesbus.com

•Downtown Buenos Aires offers the most importants monuments of the city. The “Congreso” and its large square, Avenida de Mayo – historal avenue with several classified buildings, Plaza de Mayo (main square of the city) with the monuments: “Casa Rosada”, “Cabildo” and the metropolitan Cathedral. Florida Street (main pedestrian street of the city), the Obelisk (icon of the city), theatre Colon, Plaza San Martin in Retiro, Corrientes Avenue (the “Broadway” of BA),…

•La Boca is one of the most popular area of the city. Only “Caminito” area is interesting to know. It is two blocks with colored houses, souvenirs shops and street Tango shows. Few hours are enough to know it.

•Puerto Madero is the “new” district of Buenos Aires (it is about 20 years old). Modern and expensive, with its high luxury towers, luxury hotels, it hasn’t the spirit of the city but it offers a nice walk along its embankments, nice and fancy restaurants, large parks, the famous bridge “Puente de la mujer”, the “Fragata libertad” (historical war boat), a natural park “La reserva ecologica”,…

•Recoleta is the “chic” district of Buenos Aires. Alvear Avenue has several luxury boutiques. The main places to see in the district are: Recoleta Cemetery, Plaza Francia with its art craft market the week-ends, Buenos Aires Design gallery, Village Recoleta.

•Palermo is the “trendy” area of Buenos Aires. It is one of the biggest districts with several sub-districts. Palermo Hollywood which is a gastronomic and nightlife area. Palermo Soho (around Serrano / Cortaza Square) with many nice & fancy boutiques, cafés, restaurants… Las Cañitas – gastronomic area (main Street: Baez). There are many large & nice green spaces in Palermo: “3 de Febrero” Park with the planetarium, “Las Heras” Park, the Japonese garden, the Rosedal, the botanical garden, the zoo. Plaza Italia is the main Square of Palermo. Santa Fe Avenue is its main Avenue with many shops, one of the most famous shopping center of Buenos Aires: “Alto Palermo” (subway D – station Bulnes).

•San Telmo is the historical and colonial district of Buenos Aires, with several small paved streets, colonial houses. It is famous for its flea market each Sunday (on Defensa Street beginning from Plaza de Mayo). There are many restaurants in San Telmo, art galleries, antique dealers. The main square (Plaza Dorrego) is nice to have a coffee and to watch Tango dancers (almost everyday in summer around 8 Pm). We suggest to go to San Telmo for the flea market (Sunday) but to know it another day (the flea market attracts a lot of people and it is nice to visit the area when it is more quiet). Nice to know too: the San Telmo market (antique dealers, food… – entrance on Defensa, Estados Unidos, Carlos Calvo or Bolivar Street).